Drone operations have greatly expanded, both in volume and in character. Drones have moved from hobbyist use few in frequency to regular use in business activities such as pipeline inspection. More wide-spread use of drones is inevitable, benefiting many businesses and operators.
Drone operators vary in skill and responsibility. Most drone operators strive for safe operation of their drones, adhering to regulatory terms and conditions. Aviation regulations governing drone operations have struggled to keep up with increased use. Furthermore, not every drone operator is aware of required regulations and those that are occasionally err in adhering to those regulations. On some occasions, drones have intruded into regulated airspace or interfered with piloted aircraft operations. The proliferation of unmanned aircraft raises concerns of airborne collisions with manned aircraft.
Toward increasing safety and enforcing evolving regulatory rules governing drone operations, an alerting and reporting system is needed to identify and document errant and unsafe drones and drone operators. This disclosure addresses those needs.